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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24539194">I Got Robbed by a Sixteen-Year-Old</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/VanillaRoseSwirl/pseuds/VanillaRoseSwirl'>VanillaRoseSwirl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Totally Not Despicable Dee [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Mob, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders is a Little Shit, Badass Remy, Blood, Crime Boss Janus, Except for Emile because he's a good noodle, Fake threats of violence, Found Family, Gen, Good Noodle Emile, Gun Violence, He's not fooling anyone but he's trying, Imprisonment, Janus has a potty mouth, Janus keeps lying about adopting kids, Janus lies a lot to scare Virgil but it's all fake, Janus tries to be badass but he's got a soft heart, Physical Restraints, Remy has a potty mouth, Stealing, There's a cancer mention but it's not huge, They all have potty mouths and no apologies for it and neither do I, Threats of Bodily Harm, Threats of Violence, Virgil has a potty mouth, child Virgil</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:49:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,297</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24539194</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/VanillaRoseSwirl/pseuds/VanillaRoseSwirl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“I think he definitely learned who was boss,” Remy replied, “which I mean, it sucks that his kid got hospitalized right before he owed us the money, but he should’ve had it paid back months ago, and- Janus? What’s up, babe?”</p><p>Janus’s brow creased harder and harder, and he moved his coat pocket to get a visual check inside.</p><p>“It’s gone,” Janus whispered. He clenched his teeth. “The money Jim gave us. It’s gone.”</p><p>“Well shit,” Remy said. “Did you drop it on the way down?”</p><p>“No,” Janus said as he glanced through the car’s front window. “I think that little shit from earlier pickpocketed me.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Totally Not Despicable Dee [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1771324</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>65</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>536</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Got Robbed by a Sixteen-Year-Old</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Howdy ho, here's part 2 of the "Totally Not Despicable Dee" series. You don't have to read the first one to fill in the blanks, but it might help.</p><p>That said, this chapter has violence and minor commentary that matches with current events, so if that's not up your alley, best to turn back. Also, additional chapter warnings are in the tags, so if any of that squicks you out, best not head into these waters.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn’t often Janus went to personal visits on his own. Well “on his own” as Remy and a few others in charge of keeping him safe flanked him on either side. Janus knew how important it was that he was never caught, never killed, and never framed for any of the things going on.</p><p>Still, he was bored, and he needed to put the pressure on someone to make himself feel a little bit more in control over a certain situation that was plaguing his mind.</p><p>Janus entered the food establishment and took his hat off in respect, as he always did. He spied the elderly woman working in the back, and a smile pulled at the corner of his lips.</p><p>“Mrs. Callaway,” he announced his presence.</p><p>The woman stood, and a cry of joy squeaked past her lips. She said, “Oh, is that my Janus! If I knew you were showing up today, I would’ve put on more makeup.”</p><p>“Oh, please, you’re too beautiful for makeup,” Janus responded, making the elderly woman blush. “Is Jim here? I’d like to speak to him if I could.”</p><p>“I’m sure Jimmy’s around here somewhere,” Mrs. Callaway answered.</p><p>Janus cleared his throat, and he offered the woman a hundred dollar bill. She looked at the bill, then back at Janus. Janus smiled innocently at her.</p><p>“Go get yourself a really nice haircut and have a spa day, Mrs. Callaway. You work so hard, and you should treat yourself. I'll wait until Jim can cover for you.”</p><p>“Oh, you spoil me so,” she said as she giggled. “Okay, if you insist, dear.”</p><p>Janus sent her a genuine smile, and the old woman smacked him lightly on the arm. Remy monitored the movement, but he made no effort to stop her. She turned a mischievous eye to Janus and continued, “And don't be a stranger, you hear?”</p><p>“Of course,” Janus responded.</p><p>The group waited for Mrs. Callaway to exit the room. Janus put his hat back on his head and steeled his face. The trio behind him put a warning hand on their guns and proceeded behind him. </p><p>Showtime.</p><p>“Jim Callaway,” Janus announced. He walked behind the counter and slowly climbed the stairs. From above, he could hear panicked movements shuffling from place to place. Janus smirked. He lived for the thrill of hunting his victim. The way his heart rate increased. The way his body shook with excitement. The way he didn’t know what was going to happen next or who was going to make it out alive. Janus called out again, “I need that money, Jim.”</p><p>“I’ll be out in a second,” Jim’s frantic voice called out. </p><p>Janus stood at the top of the stairs. He cracked his neck left then right. After a quick glance to check on the rest of his team, Janus sauntered toward the back room, as he always did. Something glass broke behind the door, and a low curse whispered through the wood. Janus put his hand on the door handle and waited.</p><p>“I’m coming in,” he announced.</p><p>All movement on the other side of the door stopped.</p><p>Janus heard Remy suck in a deep breath behind him. He turned to give one last look at his crew and twisted the handle.</p><p>Gunshots fired on them immediately.</p><p>Janus ducked down behind the door as Remy leaned around it to take a shot. Several more bullets fired. Remy took three more shots before he had to reload. The other two behind them took their shots as well. None of them seemed to hit.</p><p>At least, not until Remy took a shot and a loud yell sounded on the other side.</p><p>The commotion died down. Janus held his breath and counted to three. Remy peeked around the door first, taking the lead, his gun held straight out in front of him. The other two entered next. Janus eventually moved from his spot behind the door and walked in.</p><p>Blood leaked from behind a collapsed table. Janus’s lips pulled down into a frown. If they accidentally killed Jim, there went his relationship with Mrs. Callaway. He’d miss the free cookies. </p><p>“Jim,” Janus said as he adjusted his hat back into its rightful position, “I know for a fact you weren’t about to kill me right now, right?”</p><p>A low grunt sounded from behind the table. Remy glanced back at Janus, asking him what he should do, and Janus simply held his fist up to order a cease-fire. </p><p>Slowly, Janus made his way around the table. Jim was on the floor clutching his leg. He hissed out a curse as Janus came around, his blond hair sticking up in all directions and blue eyes narrowed on Janus. Janus knelt down and stared straight into Jim’s eyes. His lips pulled into a disappointed frown, and he tilted his head to the side.</p><p>Janus continued, “Because you know if you would’ve killed me, your little shop here would go under in about five minutes flat, right?”</p><p>“Go to hell.”</p><p>“I’ve been there. Lucifer couldn’t handle me and sent me back,” Janus answered. “Now, Jim, I know you wouldn’t spend all the money you owed me after I generously got you a donor that would give you way more than you needed, right?”</p><p>Jim eyed him over. He adjusted his position, only offering a growl in return.</p><p>Janus smashed his palm into the bullet hole on Jim’s leg. Jim screamed, and Janus squeezed. He watched Jim struggle to push Janus off him, but Janus held firm. Jim reached out for his gun, but a warning shot from Remy stopped him in his tracks.</p><p>“I used it, okay?” Jim snapped. “I had to.”</p><p>“Why?” Janus asked.</p><p>“My daughter. I had to use it for my daughter.”</p><p>Janus let go of Jim’s leg. Jim panted and cradled the injured appendage close to him. Janus looked for any sort of tell that Jim was lying and sighed through his nose.</p><p>“What do you mean you had to use it on your daughter?” Janus asked.</p><p>Jim’s eyes held a different emotion than panic for a second: sorrow. He blinked it away and stared down at the floor. Janus waited for Jim to continue.</p><p>“My daughter, a few weeks ago, she woke up with a pain in her side. We rushed her to the hospital, and it turned out she had appendicitis. It had to be taken out or she’d die. We don’t have insurance, and the bill was so high. I couldn’t… I didn’t know what to do. So I used the money I got from the drug deals to pay off the hospital. I promise I’ll get your money back. I just don’t have it right now.”</p><p>Janus sighed through his nose. He shook his head back and forth. “I told you, Jim, this was your last chance to pay me back.”</p><p>“No, please! I’m telling you the truth! Call Acacia up! I promise, she’ll tell you the whole thing,” Jim shrieked.</p><p>“I know,” Janus replied.</p><p>“You can’t take me from her right now. You just can’t! Have a heart, would you?”</p><p>Janus caught the man’s eye. He stood up and pulled off the bloody glove over his right hand. Jim swallowed hard, and he curled in on himself, waiting for the fatal blow.</p><p>“I can’t leave here without some sort of payment, Jim, even if it’s just a dollar. I just can’t.” Janus cracked his back. </p><p>The sentence spread a little bit of hope across Jim’s face. “A-a dollar?”</p><p>Janus studied him for a minute. “Don’t get the wrong idea, Jim. I expect all that money to be paid back next month with five percent interest, but for now, I’ll take whatever you can give me, which is pretty generous in my opinion considering you were willing to shoot me five minutes ago.”</p><p>Jim at least had the decency to look embarrassed. He tried to stand, but he fell back against the table.</p><p>“Just tell me where your money is and how much, and I’ll do the rest,” Janus said. He turned to one of the people behind him. “Patch him up, would you? I don’t want him bleeding to death before we get anything.”</p><p>One of the gang members leaned down and pulled out medical supplies from his bag. Jim pointed to the desk in the far corner and told Janus there was about $1,000 hidden in it. Janus opened the drawer, and true to Jim’s words, the wad of cash was waiting for him. He picked it up and placed it in his pocket.</p><p>“A pleasure doing business with you, Jim,” Janus said. He headed toward the door, motioning for the other members to follow him. Janus glanced over his shoulder and then said, “Oh, and Jim, do tell your mother the cookies she delivered to the office were delicious. Everyone enjoyed them.”</p><p>With that, Janus headed out of the room, down the stairs, and exited onto the street.</p><p>“Wow, I thought for sure you were going to kill him in there, babe,” Remy teased as they headed outside. “You got soft.”</p><p>“You’re surprised I have a heart?” Janus said as he raised an eyebrow. </p><p>Remy opened his mouth to speak, but he closed it soon after. Instead, he shook his head and pulled a bewildered smile on his face.</p><p>As Janus waited for Remy to open the car door for him, someone bumped into Janus’s side. Janus let out a surprised hiss, and the person twisted away, his eyes narrowed into a scowl.</p><p>“Hey, watch where you’re going,” the kid shot before he shoved his hands into his pockets and traveled down the street.</p><p>“What manners kids these days have,” Janus grumbled. He slid into his seat and let Remy close the door. Janus buckled his seatbelt and adjusted himself into a more comfortable position. Remy entered the other side, and he let out a long sigh as he plopped into the leather seat.</p><p>“I know right? No respect. No respect at all,” Remy said as he mocked an Italian accent. Janus gave him a playful shove on the shoulder, and Remy started to laugh. </p><p>“Well, let’s just hope for Jimmy’s sake he learned some respect,” Janus said. He put his hands in his pocket and fished around for the thousand he took.</p><p>“I think he definitely learned who was boss,” Remy replied, “which I mean, it sucks that his kid got hospitalized right before he owed us the money, but he should’ve had it paid back months ago, and- Janus? What’s up, babe?”</p><p>Janus’s brow creased harder and harder, and he moved his coat pocket to get a visual check inside.</p><p>“It’s gone,” Janus whispered. He clenched his teeth. “The money Jim gave us. It’s gone.”</p><p>“Well shit,” Remy said. “Did you drop it on the way down?”</p><p>“No,” Janus said as he glanced through the car’s front window. “I think that little shit from earlier pickpocketed me.”</p><p>The kid in question was well out of sight. Most likely, he took off as soon as Janus wasn’t watching so he could get away. Janus had to respect the kid's courage for a moment, stealing from a literal crime boss, but also berated the kid's stupidity for stealing from a literal crime boss.</p><p>“What did he look like?” Remy questioned. “We can have a few people out searching for him, you know, so we can get it back.”</p><p>“I remember dark eye shadow, gray eyes, messy black hair that went into the kid’s eyes, and a purple patched jacket,” Janus responded.</p><p>Remy nodded his head. “I’ll alert the other people stationed around the city. We’ll find him.”</p><p>“Good. I want him brought to me alive,” Janus said through his teeth, “so that I can look him in the eyes when I make sure he never steals from me again.”</p>
<hr/><p>Inside the office was unusually quiet when they returned. Janus headed back to his office as he ran a hand down his face. He paused just outside his door. Perhaps he should pay Emile a visit first. He hated to bug the man, especially since Emile just got a new toy, well kid, but he still needed Emile to do his job.</p><p>Janus walked over toward the elevator and got inside. He scanned the numbers for the bottom floors and hit three. The elevator doors closed, and it started to descend to the apartments under the office space.</p><p>After the doors slid open, Janus walked with his head held high toward Emile’s room. Several members stared, some greeted him, and some moved out of his way. It wasn’t often Janus came down to the lower levels himself, especially this one. He stood at Emile’s door and knocked three times.</p><p>No answer.</p><p>“Emile,” Janus called out. He waited once again. No answer.</p><p>Janus twisted the door handle. Emile’s bed was neatly made, and the record book was closed on his desk. Judging from how warm the room was, Emile hadn’t been in here for a while.</p><p>Janus closed the door, his eyebrows knitted together. He spied a girl walking down the hall and called out, “Hey, Nancy, do you know where Emile is?”</p><p>Nancy turned, a surprised “o” formed on her lips, and nodded her head. “Yeah, he’s in with Logan right now.”</p><p>“And where’s that?”</p><p>“Uh, Room 383, I think. Or is it 394. I don’t know, it’s one of the two.”</p><p>“Thanks, Nancy, super helpful.”</p><p>“Of course!”</p><p>Janus watched her walk away, her high heels clicking on the floor. He scratched the hair under his hat. Where in the world was room 383 and 394 anyway? He growled through his nose and began searching.</p><p>Room number after room number after wrong turn after room number, Janus searched the bottom floor. He got so aggravated he stormed into people’s rooms just to ask for directions. Why was this area so vast and built like a maze?</p><p>Eventually, Janus found what he was looking for. He knocked three times on the door and waited.</p><p>There was a long pause before Logan’s voice announced, “Come in.”</p><p>Janus twisted the door handle. He stopped as he caught sight of Emile and Logan on the floor. A chessboard in the middle of the floor showed Emile was three moves away from losing his queen. Emile laid on his stomach, his legs crossed behind him in an “x” shape. He smiled up a Janus, his cheeks puffed from being cradled in his palms. Logan, on the other hand, sat rigid with his back straight and legs crossed. He swallowed hard and searched Janus for any intent to hurt him. Janus learned not to take it too personally.</p><p>“Emile, I need you,” Janus said.</p><p>Emile looked from Janus to Logan and back at Janus. He asked, “Now?”</p><p>“Now.”</p><p>Emile’s hands flopped onto the floor. Logan watched Emile's deflated reaction with passive curiosity.</p><p>“We can continue the game later,” Logan said as he stood. He walked over to his bed and sat cross-legged parallel to Janus. "I'm mentally exhausted anyway."</p><p>“If you’re sure,” Emile responded. He pushed himself onto his hands and knees and stood up. After adjusting his sweater vest, he followed Janus out of the room and closed the door. The two walked a short distance away before Emile asked, “What’s up, Doc?”</p><p>“I need you to send a card to Acacia Callaway, Jim Callaway's daughter. She’s recovering from appendicitis.”</p><p>“Oh,” Emile said. He furrowed his brow. “Is that all?”</p><p>“No, I need you to scratch a thousand dollars off Jim Callaway’s debt. Then, I need you to add that he now owes 5 percent of whatever is left.”</p><p>“Five percent?” Emile’s lips searched for his next words. “I thought his debt was supposed to be paid today.”</p><p>“Why do you think you’re sending the card to Acacia?”</p><p>Emile got quiet and connected the dots. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Okay, I get it now. So, who do you want me to sign the card as?”</p><p>“A friend,” Janus replied.</p><p>Emile nodded. “Any balloons?”</p><p>“She’s eight and I know nothing about kids. What do you think?”</p><p>“I think balloons might be nice,” he replied. “Maybe a vase of roses.”</p><p>“Now, don’t go crazy spending my money here, Emile.”</p><p>“Of course not. It was just a friendly suggestion.”</p><p>The duo stopped outside of Emile’s door. Emile went to turn his door handle, but Janus beat him to it. He stared down at Emile, his mirth gone.</p><p>“How is Logan adjusting?” Janus asked.</p><p>“It’s only been a week,” Emile said. “You gotta give the kid some time.”</p><p>“I’m just worried is all.” Emile rose a brow, and Janus glanced away. “Don’t look too far into this, okay? I couldn’t care less about what you do to the kid. I just want to know he isn’t going to rat us out.”</p><p>“Logan wouldn’t do that,” Emile defended.</p><p>“You said so yourself. He’s only been here a week. We still don’t know if we can trust him.”</p><p>“I’m working on it. He hasn’t called the police or posted anything on any social media from what I can tell.”</p><p>“Good. I need no footprints leading to us either. As long as it’s nothing but the parents boohooing on the news and people spreading posters to search for him, I’m willing to let him stay.”</p><p>“When are you going to pressure his family, exactly?”</p><p>“Soon.”</p><p>“Soon?”</p><p>“Yes, soon. Is there an echo in here?”</p><p>Emile closed his mouth. He nodded his head in understanding. Janus swung the door open, and Emile stepped inside. After a moment, Janus opened his mouth to speak again.</p><p>“Just keep as close of an eye on him as you can. We can’t have any more accidents because you trusted someone too much, got it?”</p><p>“Of course,” Emile replied. He plopped down onto his desk chair and turned it toward his book. With a heavy sigh, Emile opened it and began his work.</p><p>Janus’s heartstrings pulled a bit, and he said, “I’m not trying to be mean, Emile. I just need you to understand the severity of-”</p><p>“I know,” Emile said without looking up. His hand grabbed the hair on the top of his head. He sighed and whispered again, “I know.”</p><p>Janus exhaled through his nose and closed Emile’s door without another word. Thankfully he knew the way back to the elevator from here. He stepped through its doors and hit the star button, leaving his thoughts and the people on this floor alone.</p>
<hr/><p>It was quiet on a Sunday. A lot of the gang members took today off to be with their families. The few who chose to stay behind usually didn’t have a family to go home to or weren’t Catholic. Janus could respect that. Everyone needed a day off once and a while, especially when you worked in the place they did.</p><p>It was quiet on a Sunday. The search for that delinquent who bumped into Janus was still going on, and Janus was starting to grow impatient. It wasn’t like he needed the money, but he didn’t like being made a fool of either. How did he not notice the kid was pickpocketing him? Why couldn’t they find the kid after he escaped? Why did he keep getting attacked by literal kids?</p><p>It was quiet on a Sunday. Janus hadn’t seen Emile since their earlier conversation two days ago. He wondered if Emile was mad at him or just spending too much time with Logan. Either way, Janus was willing to give Emile some space. He could wait until Emile came back to him. Emile always did eventually. Besides, if Logan was finally helping Emile heal after all these years, who was he to intervene? </p><p>A loud bang sounded, not a gunshot but loud enough to rival one. Janus recognized it as the sound of a heavy door swinging open. </p><p>Well, it <em>was</em> quiet on a Sunday.</p><p>Janus snapped his head up from his computer screen. Shouts and curses and protests filled the space outside his office. Janus stood from his seat, wondering what the commotion was about.</p><p>As Janus opened his door, he got his answer.</p><p>Remy was struggling to contain a teenager, who had his hands tied behind his back and flung himself around wildly to get away. Two other gang members were helping Remy contain the kid, and they were having a hell of a time doing it. Janus sighed through his nose, raised the pistol strapped to his hip, and shot three shots into the air. </p><p>The only sound left was the clatter of the bullet shells hitting the floor.</p><p>“What’s going on here, gentleman?” Janus asked.</p><p>Remy spoke up, “I think we found the kid who stole from us the other day.”</p><p>“You think?” Janus clicked his tongue as he approached. “Remy, I’m appalled by your behavior. You abducted a kid off the street, drug him all the way here, and you merely think he’s the one who did that to me? For shame.”</p><p>“Just wanted your confirmation before I booked the kid for something he didn’t do,” Remy added.</p><p>Janus continued to saunter toward them at a slow pace, “I should hope so, Remy, because if he is the kid who did pickpocket off me, he may not like what happens next.”</p><p>The closer he got, the more features he could make out on the kid. The kid indeed wore the same purple patched jacket. His gray eyes were wide with fear. Black makeup smudged under his eyes, or maybe those were bags from lack of sleep, ran down his face with his tears and sweat. His black hair stuck to his forehead and up in different directions.</p><p>As Janus got closer, the kid went stiff as a board. His chest rose and fell way too fast, and he couldn't do anything but merely stare. Janus stopped about six feet away from the kid, folded his hands behind his back, and raised his nose to stare down at him.</p><p>“Well, it does appear he is the kid who stole from me,” Janus informed.</p><p>At that, the kid tried to wrench his upper body from the gang member’s hands. They easily got a grip on him. The kid’s shoes squeaked on the floor. Eventually, he gave up and settled for glaring at the polished floor below his feet.</p><p>Janus closed the distance between them, grabbed the kid’s jaw between his fingers, and forced the kid to look up at him. He met fiercely defiant eyes, eyes that reminded him a lot of a certain someone else in this room, and grinned.</p><p>“Congratulations, kid. You managed to steal from the biggest crime organization in the city,” Janus spoke. He tilted his head to the side. “Too bad it’s the last thing you'll do.”</p><p>“Fuck you,” the kid snapped.</p><p>“No thank you,” Janus answered. The group of gang members started to snicker. Janus held up his hand to silence them, and they obeyed. He continued, “The question is, what should I do to you? Make you pay the money back six times over? Throw you in a room and not let you out until you apologize? Or, maybe, I should make an example of you and show others what happens if you steal from me.”</p><p>The kid’s courage was slowly starting to slip away. The more Janus spoke, the more uncomfortable the crew holding him became. Even Remy flinched at Janus’s words.</p><p>“Well,” Janus said as he leaned down, “What do you have to say for yourself, kid?”</p><p>Those cold gray eyes glared into Janus’s own, and for a moment, Janus had to appreciate the kid’s guts. Not many people were brave enough to stare him in the eye, let alone someone who was one step away from unpleasant events. Janus let go of the kid’s jaw, but the kid still didn’t look away.</p><p>“What’s your name?” Janus asked.</p><p>“What’s it to you?” the kid growled.</p><p>“Oh, so you can speak,” Janus said as he clapped his hands. “Well done. I’m impressed. I would like to know your name for future records, you know, in case anyone comes to me seeking revenge for killing their child.”</p><p>“Don’t got no family.”</p><p>“Oh, well, that’s dreadful. Then, how about a friend coming to shoot up my office in your name?”</p><p>The kid swallowed again. “Don’t got no friends either.”</p><p>Janus hummed. He eyed the people behind the kid, and he asked, “Where’d you find him?”</p><p>Remy snuffed. “He was hanging around Callaway’s again. Mrs. Callaway was giving him a free meal from what I heard.”</p><p>“Ah yes, the ever so kind Mrs. Callaway. Why didn’t you use the thousand dollars you stole from me?”</p><p>Only then did the kid break away from Janus’s gaze. Janus rose a brow, waiting expectantly for an answer.</p><p>“Well?” Janus coaxed. The kid mumbled something, and Janus put a hand to his ear to listen. “What was that? I didn’t hear you.”</p><p>“I gave it back to them,” the kid snapped.</p><p>That straightened Janus’s posture. His lips pulled into a tight line. He could see courage rising again in the young man’s chest. </p><p>Janus repeated, “You gave it back to them?”</p><p>“Yeah, I fucking gave it back to them,” the kid snapped. “Who the fuck do you think you are stealing from them like that, huh? What’s wrong with you? Don’t you know what they’ve been through? Christ, his kid’s in the hospital and his mom’s working sixteen hours by herself to keep the restaurant going because of it. And now, now Jim has a fucking bullet wound in his leg. Who gave you the right to bully them, huh? Don’t you know what they do for this city? All the free meals they give out to kids who are literally starving on the streets? If it wasn’t for them, I’d have been dead years ago, so you bet your ass I gave the money back to them.”</p><p>Janus stayed quiet, his grin sliding away bit by bit as the kid ranted. He caught Remy’s eye, but Remy didn't have anything to say to help him out. Eventually, Janus removed his hat to run his hands through his hair.</p><p>“Well, aren’t you quite the little Robin Hood,” Janus remarked.</p><p>Remy shifted uncomfortably behind the kid, and he asked, “Janus, can’t we just make one exception? Just this time? You know-”</p><p>Janus held up his hand, silencing Remy. Remy’s jaw closed with an audible click.</p><p>“What did you say your name was again, kid?” Janus asked.</p><p>“I didn’t.”</p><p>“Well, I’ll tell you what. You let me know your name, and I won’t make you pay for your rudeness. Got it?”</p><p>The teen eyed Janus warily, and his throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. He opened his mouth, closed it, then took a deep breath through his nose.</p><p>“Virgil,” he answered at last.</p><p>“Virgil what?”</p><p>Virgil looked down at the ground. “Just Virgil.”</p><p>“Well, Just Virgil,” Janus said with a tilt of his head. “It’s nice to meet you. It’s been a while since someone had the guts to speak to me like that, and I must say, I’m impressed.”</p><p>Judging by Virgil’s expression, Virgil didn’t take it as a compliment. It didn’t offend Janus at all.</p><p>Janus turned his attention to the people behind Virgil and ordered, “Take him to the fifth floor. No one. And I repeat, no one. No one is allowed to touch him unless I say so, got it? Just make sure he isn’t leaving. I’ll talk to him again once things calm down a bit. And if I find out anyone touched him, I’ll do what they did to him tenfold.”</p><p>Virgil’s lips opened, asking a question that never came out of his throat. The three gang members drug Virgil toward the elevator. It took Virgil a moment to realize he was going somewhere he couldn’t escape from, and he started struggling and spitting out curses once again. </p><p>Janus sighed and returned to his office. He closed the door, shutting out the noise and pretending it didn’t exist. Eventually, the elevator doors closed, silencing the office space once again.</p><p>Janus hoped that Emile wasn’t in the mood to go to the fifth floor today.</p>
<hr/><p>After about a day of letting Virgil calm down, Janus ordered a few gang members to go down and retrieve the kid. It took them about twenty minutes, but eventually, it led to them dragging Virgil in and sitting him in a wooden chair. One member moved to tie Virgil’s wrists to the chair, but Janus insisted it wasn’t necessary. The two goons left them alone.</p><p>For a while, all Janus and Virgil did was stare at each other.</p><p>“Did you sleep well?” Janus asked.</p><p>“No."</p><p>Janus sighed and nodded his head. “Well, that is to be expected. You had a rough day yesterday.”</p><p>“Why am I still here? Why haven’t you killed me yet?”</p><p>“I don’t kill kids.”</p><p>Virgil blinked. “You don’t?”</p><p>“I could make an exception for you if you want.”</p><p>Virgil shook his head back and forth rapidly, and Janus grinned. </p><p>After a moment, Janus pretended to organize the pens on his desk and continued, “You’re still here because I don’t know what to do with you. I don’t kill kids as I said, but I also don’t want to let you off easy. You still did steal from me. What message would I be sending if I just let a kid off the hook without any consequences? I’ll be facing a mutiny in no time.”</p><p>“So, what are you going to do? Make me stay?”</p><p>Janus leaned back in his chair. “I’m not interested in adopting any more kids in the gang.”</p><p>“Any more? You mean, you’ve done this before?”</p><p>“Only once. I still regret it to this day, even if he did make a good ally,” Janus said. He eyed the picture lying face down on his desk and then returned his gaze back to Virgil. </p><p>“Is he dead now?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>Virgil waited for Janus to continue, but he never did. Instead, Virgil asked, “So if you’re not going to kill me, and if you’re not going to make me a part of the gang, what are you going to do with me?”</p><p>“What do you think I should do?” Janus rose a brow. “I find it much more amusing when my victims pick their punishment.”</p><p>“I’d honestly just prefer you kill me.”</p><p>“But, Virgil, you're so young. Think of all the good you can do when you get older. You might start a tax law that actually makes people like me pay our fair share of taxes.”</p><p>Virgil opened his mouth but closed it soon after. “That really doesn’t sound like an argument for my case.”</p><p>“Maybe I’m tired of billionaires who only take and never give anything back as well. Some sacrifices must be made for the good of the people, wouldn’t you agree?”</p><p>“Not really, no.”</p><p>“Oh come now, Virgil. You can’t overthrow a government with peaceful protests.”</p><p>Virgil honestly didn’t know what to say about that. He squirmed in his chair and stared down at his knees. Finally, he asked, “Why do you care?”</p><p>“Oh, for crying out loud, Virgil. I’m a crime boss, not an idiot. Those people are my competition. If I’m not paying off government officials to do the right thing, they can pay off government officials to do the wrong thing. Got it?”</p><p>That fully caught Virgil’s attention. He searched Janus’s face for any sort of trick, but nothing stood out to him. Eventually, he sighed through his nose and folded his arms.</p><p>“Alright, fine, say I actually believe one of you billionaire assholes want to change the world. Wouldn’t letting me go cause you more headache than it’s worth?”</p><p>“Probably.”</p><p>“So why do it?”</p><p>“I never said I was going to let you go.”</p><p>Virgil swallowed hard. He played with his fingers and picked at the skin around his nails. Eventually, he responded with, “So, what are you going to do with me?”</p><p>“I don’t know. You still haven’t answered me.”</p><p>Virgil chewed on his lip. He snuffed and said, “Well I mean, I’d say you could put me under house arrest, but I don’t exactly have a house.”</p><p>Janus’s lips quirked into a smirk. Virgil wondered if he said something wrong, and his heart pounded harder and harder in his chest. Janus opened one of the drawers at the bottom of his desk. He pulled out a thick black band with a black box on it.</p><p>“I can sort of do that,” Janus folded his fingers together. “Here’s how it works. You get this locked onto your ankle. I’ll know exactly where you are at all times, what you’re saying to people, who you’re talking to, what you’re doing. It’s like my own personal little tracking device to ensure you aren’t going to do something incredibly stupid.” He tapped the black box attached to the strap. “If you say something I don’t like, I enter a code on my computer, and this box will explode.”</p><p>Virgil’s jaw dropped.</p><p>“And that’s not the best part,” Janus continued. “If you try to take it off or tamper with it, it’ll also explode. So, really, unless you want to lose your leg or worse, you’re going to want to stay on my good side.”</p><p>“What the fuck?” Virgil finally whispered out.</p><p>“You suggested it, not me.”</p><p>“I didn’t think you’d literally strap an exploding device on my ankle. Who the fuck does that?”</p><p>“I do.”</p><p>“And what if I refuse?”</p><p>“Well, I can always lock you on the fifth floor until you’re old enough to be forced into the gang,” Janus offered. “That’s, what, seven years away? How long until you’re twenty-one?”</p><p>“I’m sixteen.”</p><p>“You mean I got robbed by a sixteen-year-old? Virgil, I’m disappointed in you. You should know better.” Janus laughed.</p><p>Virgil eyed the device on the table again. He opened his mouth to speak, closed it, then opened it again. “So, all I have to do is wear that thing. For how long?”</p><p>“However long I think you should. Maybe a thousand days considering that’s how much money you stole.”</p><p>“A thousand days?” Virgil shrieked. “That’s like three years!”</p><p>“A little under three years, actually.”</p><p>“You’re insane. I’m not doing it.”</p><p>Janus shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’ll call the others to come and get you, and-”</p><p>“No, wait!” Virgil swallowed hard. “Let me… can I think about this first?”</p><p>“Oh, of course, Virgil. This is a huge life decision.” Janus said. “I wouldn't make you strap a deadly device on your leg without you thinking it over. What kind of crime boss would I be if I bullied people into listening to me?”</p><p>“I literally can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic right now or not.”</p><p>“Then believe what you want,” Janus said. He pressed the buzzer, and the same two people who escorted Virgil came in and grabbed his arms. Virgil stood from his chair and kept eye contact with Janus the entire time.</p><p>“Twenty-four hours, Janus informed him. “You have twenty-four hours to decide your fate, and if you don’t, then I do.” </p><p>Janus couldn’t help the smirk that crossed his lips as Virgil maintained eye contact with him. He definitely liked this kid’s guts. The two gang members lead Virgil out and left Janus alone with his thoughts.</p>
<hr/><p>Twenty-four hours rolled around a lot faster than Janus expected it to. He tapped his fingers on his desk as the buzzer rang at his door.</p><p>“Enter,” he called out.</p><p>Remy stepped in, closed the door, and paused. Janus rose a brow and glanced over his computer.</p><p>Janus continued, “Well, Remy, to what do I owe the honor of a morning visit from you? I didn’t think you got up before noon.”</p><p>“It’s about the kid- ehm, Virgil. I can’t believe I have to clarify that now,” Remy said. He sucked in a breath and furrowed his brow. “Exploding leg bracelet?”</p><p>Janus burst out laughing. Remy deadpanned and leaned against the door.</p><p>“You’re sitting me, right?” Remy added on. “We don’t have exploding leg bracelets.”</p><p>Janus held up the device he showed Virgil the other day, his shoulders still shaking from containing his delight. He swung it around on his fingers and said, “No, we don’t.”</p><p>“Is that your old house arrest bracelet?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“And you told the kid it was an exploding device.”</p><p>“That’s the thing you’re worried about?” Janus said as he rose a brow. “I also told him I’d know everywhere he went, everything he said, everyone he talked to, and so on and so forth. And he believed me.”</p><p>Remy snorted before he responded, “That’s fucked, babe.”</p><p>“I had to tell him something.” Janus shrugged. “The kid’s got spirit, Remy. I’ll give him that. Stupid rebellious teen spirit, but spirit nonetheless. He reminds me a lot of you.”</p><p>“Oh shit, you’re right.”</p><p>“Only taller.”</p><p>“Bitch what? You wanna run that by me again?”</p><p>Janus grinned, and he tapped some papers against the desk to stack them neatly on top of each other. He thought for a moment before he replied, “You heard me, shorty.”</p><p>“Oh, that’s it. You and me, four o’clock. It’s on.”</p><p>Janus laughed again, and he shook his head. Remy wrinkled his nose, and he waited for Janus’s next order.</p><p>“Bring the kid up. I want to see if he’s ready to make his choice,” Janus said.</p><p>“And if he doesn’t?”</p><p>Janus thought for a moment. “I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.”</p><p>“You got it, babe.” Remy opened the door to Janus’s office and headed toward the elevator. He hit the down button and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. His hand idly played with a coin in his pocket.</p><p>The door dinged, and Remy moved to enter. Or at least, he would’ve, had Emile not almost bumped into him.</p><p>“Yo, that was close,” Remy said with a laugh.</p><p>“Oh, sorry! Excuse me,” Emile said as he slipped past. Remy’s mind screamed as Emile headed toward Janus’s office.</p><p>“Wait, Em, where are you going?” Remy asked.</p><p>“I need to speak to Janus about a transaction made last night,” Emile responded.</p><p>Remy mumbled under his breath, “Oh, of course you do, right before I’m about to drag a teenager up here to meet the boss.” He walked in the elevator and entered his key into the fifth-floor slot. </p><p>“Not my problem. That is not my problem,” Remy repeated until the elevator doors closed.</p>
<hr/><p>The buzzer to Janus’s office rang again, and Janus rose a brow. Wow, Remy was faster than he anticipated. Janus prepped his evil boss smile and cleared his throat. He pushed the button on his device and called out, “Enter.”</p><p>His smile did a 180 as Emile walked into the room.</p><p>“Oh, Emile,” Janus said as he cursed himself for not checking the door monitor. “To what do I owe the surprise visit this early in the morning?”</p><p>“I wanted to talk to you about the fund you’re giving to Tyler Hernandes,” Emile said. He put his book on the table next to Janus. </p><p>Janus eyed his computer clock warily. He tried to keep his voice even as he could as he spoke, “You have five minutes.”</p><p>“See, I’m a bit confused. You scratched his name off the book, but it still says here that he never paid the fifty grand he owed. Is that a mistake?”</p><p>“No, it’s not.”</p><p>“Oh, well, did I make a mistake or-”</p><p>“No,” Janus rubbed his temples. “I cleared his name because he has brain cancer.”</p><p>Emile’s glasses slipped down his nose as his eyebrows rose. He pushed them back up. “You’re kidding me.”</p><p>“I really wish I was.”</p><p>“Is it terminal?”</p><p>“As far as I know, no. He’s going through extensive chemotherapy. I have someone else taking over his spot as our supplier.”</p><p>“Gosh, that’s awful. I sure hope everything turns out okay.”</p><p>Janus glanced at the clock again. “Is that everything?”</p><p>“Well, yes, but also no,” Emile said as he wrung his hands together. “I read something on social media the other day that said the police searched Logan’s house.”</p><p>Oh, here we go again.</p><p>Emile continued, “It wasn’t even the house we found him in. It was some vacation home in California. California! That’s on the other side of the country. Why would his parents say he was there when he was kidnapped.”</p><p>“I’m sure it has nothing to do with the state of the house we found Logan in.”</p><p>“But they’re not even trying to get him back,” Emile said, his voice growing slowly with anger. “If Logan was my child, I’d have this whole town looking everywhere for him by now, not some state halfway across the country. And all I see are them talking about how sad they are. I know a fake cry when I see one, and-”</p><p>“Emile.”</p><p>“-those are the fakest tears I’ve ever seen. They just keep saying the same thing. It’s not even the same video clip. I’ve checked. And-”</p><p>“Emile.”</p><p>“-the reward for finding him? Oh, don’t even get me started. ‘If we find him, all proceeds will go to the Sidestown City Police for their job well done.’ What job well done? When have any of the officers-”</p><p>Janus held his hand up, and Emile closed his mouth so hard his teeth clicked. For a moment, Janus sat in silence. He sighed through his nose and folded his fingers together, his eyes landing on the clock in front of them.</p><p>“I know,” was all Janus responded with.</p><p>Emile lowered his head and took a deep breath. He caught Janus’s eye and swallowed hard. For a moment, the two didn’t say a word to each other.</p><p>Janus continued, “Now, Emile, I would love to talk more about how much you hate Logan’s parents, but I have a meeting soon and-”</p><p>The buzzer rang. Janus checked the monitor and mumbled a curse. Emile looked over Janus’s shoulder and hummed. “Who’s that?”</p><p>“Nobody,” Janus responded. He pushed the button. “Remy, I’m a little busy right now. Can you come back later?”</p><p>The speaker crackled as Remy answered, “How much later?”</p><p>“Give me five minutes.”</p><p>“Oh no, don’t worry about it, Remy. I was just leaving,” Emile said as he walked over to the door. </p><p>Janus stood, his chair rolling across the floor. “Wait, Emile-”</p><p>The door already opened. For a moment, Emile froze in the doorway. Janus watched Virgil and Emile’s eyes lock together, and Janus put his face in his hands.</p><p>“Oh, hello there,” Emile greeted, his signature chipper voice grating on Janus’s last nerve. “You okay there, kiddo? You look… scared.”</p><p>“He’s fine,” Janus said as he moved forward. He shoved Emile out of the room, grabbed Virgil’s wrist, and pulled him in. Before Emile could protest, Janus slammed the door shut and locked it.</p><p>“Who was that?” Virgil questioned.</p><p>“Nobody,” Janus growled. He walked Virgil over to the chair and sat him down a little rougher than he intended. Virgil glared up at him. Janus sat down on his chair and played with the house arrest bracelet at his fingertips. His voice changed to its suave, overconfident tone. “Well, have you thought it over?”</p><p>Virgil glared at the bracelet for a moment. His eyes flicked back up to Janus. The fear in his eyes betrayed the forced calm rise and fall of his chest. </p><p>“I,” Virgil started, but his throat closed up. He swallowed hard and tried again, “I don’t…”</p><p>“You don’t want it?” Janus asked.</p><p>Virgil hesitated. He took a deep breath and mumbled his answer so quickly Janus had to try and piece the sentence together himself.</p><p>“You’ll wear the fucking bracelet?” Janus repeated.</p><p>Virgil squeezed his eyes shut and nodded his head.</p><p>Janus pretended to fiddle with the strap as he said, “You realize, once this goes on, it doesn’t come off unless I say so. If you try to take it off before I do, it’s going to kill you, right?”</p><p>Virgil eyed him warily before he slowly shook his head yes.</p><p>“And you know, I could keep this on you well after the thousand-day agreement if I truly wanted to, right? No one can help you out of this but me, not the authorities, not the other members of my gang, just me. You’re at my mercy until I choose to let you go, right?”</p><p>Virgil swallowed hard and shook his head yes.</p><p>Janus studied Virgil for any sign of running, any sign of fear, and any sign that he would do something stupid despite the circumstances. He took a deep breath, opened his drawer, and threw the bracelet in.</p><p>“Good, because I needed to know you were going to be loyal to me before I said this.”</p><p>“Wait, what?” Virgil said as his head snapped up. He blinked away his shock.</p><p>“Don’t get excited. I’m still not afraid to do something if you betray me. In all honesty, kid-”</p><p>“Virgil.”</p><p>“Virgil, in all honesty, I’m sticking my neck out for you here. I said no kids in my gang, and I mean it. However, I’m not against a stool pigeon.”</p><p>“A stool… what?”</p><p>“A stool pigeon. Usually, they’re people who spy for the police, but you hate the police, so maybe stool pigeon isn’t the right term here. What I’m saying is, I want you to be a spy for my gang. You seem to care a lot about this city and the people that are in it, and you also agree the government is doing a shit job at running it, right?”</p><p>Virgil nodded his head.</p><p>“So, here’s what I want you to do. I want you to keep an eye on the businesses I tell you to, like Callaway’s diner. I want you to tell me if you see anything suspicious, any payoffs to the wrong people, anybody making us look like fools, and anybody that’s going to cause a problem for us, got it?”</p><p>“I,” Virgil furrowed his brow, “how is this not working for you again, exactly?”</p><p>“I’m not paying you for this.” Janus watched Virgil’s mouth open, and he added, “Well, not technically. I’m giving you a home in the meantime. You said you don’t have any, right?”</p><p>“I… didn’t,” Virgil blinked, “but I don’t.”</p><p>“I thought not. So, what do you say, Virgil? Are you ready to actually do some good in this city, or are you just going to run around hoping pickpocketing isn’t going to piss off the wrong people?”</p><p>Janus extended his hand for Virgil to shake. After a few seconds of staring at it, Virgil reached out and shook Janus’s hand.</p><p>“I guess you got yourself a deal,” Virgil said with a sigh.</p><p>“Good. Now,” Janus eyed the door’s monitor and snorted. He pressed the button. “Emile, you can stop eavesdropping and come in now.”</p><p>The door opened, and both Virgil and Janus turned to monitor Emile’s reaction to the two of them. Emile opened his mouth to speak, closed it, and traded his words for a smile.</p><p>“Emile, this is Virgil,” Janus introduced. “He’s going to be a spy for us for a while. I want you to find him an empty room downstairs, tell him all the rules, and get him settled. Maybe introduce him to Logan, I don’t know. He’s your problem now, not mine.”</p><p>The smile on Emile’s lips slowly widened the more Janus spoke. Janus wouldn’t meet Emile’s eyes and instead went back to the work at his computer.</p><p>“Wait, how do I know this isn’t a trick?” Virgil asked. He stood from his chair. “What if I’m actually helping the wrong people, and this is just a coverup for you doing illegal shit behind the government’s back for your own gain?”</p><p>“You don’t,” Janus said as he started typing on his computer.</p><p>Virgil didn’t say anything after that. Instead, he walked out of the room with Emile. Janus stopped typing and glanced over the computer monitor. He watched Virgil and Emile disappear down the hall.</p><p>Remy, who was still leaning in the doorway, had the biggest shit-eating grin on his face, and Janus pretended Remy didn’t exist.</p><p>“Wow, I wasn’t surprised you kept Logan, but two kids in a month, boss? Whatever happened to the “no kids” rule you set up like eight years ago?”</p><p>“Shut up, Remy. I didn’t put the kid in the gang. He’s not going to be dealing directly with anyone. He’s just a spy.”</p><p>“Spies were considered gang members the last time I checked, babe.”</p><p>“Did I ask for your opinion?”</p><p>“No, but I’m giving it to you anyway.”</p><p>Janus sighed through his nose. If Remy wasn’t his right-hand man, he would’ve killed him years ago just for being annoyingly right.</p><p>“I’m just saying,” Remy continued, “you’re getting really soft there, boss. What next? You going to break into an orphanage and adopt everyone in it?”</p><p>“Goodbye, Remy,” Janus growled.</p><p>Remy shook his head and grabbed onto the door handle. He said, “Yeah, okay, I got it babe. But seriously, you’re gonna want to put a bandaid on that bleeding heart of yours. It’s gonna get you killed one of these days.”</p><p>“That’s why I have you, to make sure that doesn’t happen.”</p><p>Remy closed the door, and Janus stopped his work. He let his head quietly but with feeling thunk against the desk below him. </p><p>“No more kids,” he mumbled to himself and let out a light laugh. Even he couldn’t follow his own rule. Still, this was going to be the last one. He’d make sure of it. He was not going to do this a third time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! I'm totally cool with just heart comments, so don't worry if you have nothing to say! I'm thankful you even made it this far. If you'd like to keep up with me and my other works, you can find me on Tumblr @ altruistic-skittles</p><p>-Cat</p></blockquote></div></div>
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